Joey Dee – the Peppermint Twist!

Singer, Dancer, Movie Star … Friend … Joey Dee! Who didn’t Do the Peppermint Twist? Did you ever go to the Peppermint Lounge? Well, as I sit here in my studio reminiscing about my old friend Joey Dee … I look up on the wall at my framed half sheet from the movie … “Hey, Let’s Twist”! So many great memories come to mind, performing with Joey at the Emerald Room, taking about the early days of the Starliters around my Dinning Room table, talking about our mutual friend Porky Chedwick and especially the many artists who made up the early days of Joey Dee and the Starliters, David Brigati of the Rascals, before becoming the Young Rascals, Joe Pesci before becoming a movie star, the Bennett sisters Ronnie and Estelle as dancers before becoming the Ronettes and even a young Jimi Hendrix before becoming a rock superstar. I remember one evening sitting around the table at the Emerald Room and Joey asking Porky where he got his Silver Satin P.O.R.C.C. jacket … and Porky signed it and gave it to Joey as a gift. Years later, I got a call from Joey saying look for a package in the mail and call me when you get it. The package arrived and much to my surprise it was the jacket that Porky gave Joey and a letter … the letter said… this jacket should be on display at your museum where people can enjoy it! The jacket, letter, my signed Peppermint Lounge ashtray and other Joey Dee and the Starliters memorabilia are now on display! This week was Joey’s birthday … I will be sending out a belated birthday wish for my friend and some Joey Dee memories. So in honor of Joey’s birthday … clear an area … crank up the song … “Round and round, up and down, round and round up and down, round and round and a up and down … and a, one, two, three, kick one, two three” … hey, you’re doing the Peppermint Twist!

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